Method and apparatus for stretching and pressing knit tubular fabrics



T. CUNNINGHAM.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR STRETCHING AND PRESSING KNIT TUBULAR FABRICS. V APPLICATION FILED MAR 2, 1920. 1,401,589, Patented Dec. 27, 1921.

11 F G. I

I/MWN JI/womw f T. CUNNINGHAM.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR STRETCHING AND PRESSING KNIT TUBULAR FABRICS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR 2,1920.

Patented Dec. 27, 1921.-

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

OFFICE.

THOMAS CUNNINGHAM, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

METI-IOD AND APPARATUS FOR STRETCHIN G AND PRESSING KNIT TUBULAR FABRICS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS CUNNING- HAM,'3 citizen of the United States. residing in Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania. have invented certain new and useful Improve ments in Methods Stretching and Pressing Knit Tubular Fabrics, whereof the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

The invention relates to the stretching and pressing of knit tubular fabrics into, such form as to be capable of being conveniently handled subsequently, for cutting to garment lengths. On account of the characteristic flexibility of such fabrics, considerable difiiculty has heretofore been experienced in preventing skewing or other irregularities when pressing the tube into a doubled flat web. As a consequence, proper registry of the corresponding wales of the opposite sides of the flattened tube could not be obtained. This lack of registry was a serious drawback when the goods were cut, and especially in cutting goods having transverse stripes,--either of ornamental knitting or of variegated coloring,intended for sweaters, bathing suits. etc.

I have found that these difliculties can be overcome by gradually and progressively expanding or spreading the fabric flat over a substantial linear extent to permit an initial automatic equalization of the tension therein. preferably moistening the fabric while thus expanded. and then stretching the fabric to the desired degree previous to pressing, the final stretching being so effected as to insure proper superposition of the opposite sides of the flattened tube in being fed to the pressing devices.

The invention also comprehends certain other novel details of construction and arrangement which will be better understood fromthe detailed description which follows.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure I, is a plan view, more or less diagrammatic, of a fabric stretching and pressing apparatus, conveniently embodying my invention.

Fig. II, i a longitudinal section on an enlarged scale, through aportion ofthe apparatus,'the. plane of the section being indicated by the arrows IIII in Fig. I.

Figs. III and IV, are detail cross sections Specification of Letters Patent.

and Apparatus for taken as indicated by the lines and arrows III-III. and IV-IV, in Fig. II.

Fig. V, is a perspective View of a portion of the frame by which the fabric is stretched.

Fig. VI, is a detail section showing "the manner in which the stretcher frame is adjustably connected at its ends, to anchorage links.

Fig. VII, is a detail section on an en'- larged scale illustrating the method of removably attaching the anchorage links for the stretcher frame to the end of the cylindrical support upon which the tubular fabric is initially mounted. v

The apparatus shown comprises a supporting cylinder 1, upon which the tubular fabric F, to be pressed, is initially mounted, and from which it is drawn over a spreader table comprehensively indicated at 2, under pullof a pair of pressing rolls 3 and 4. These rolls are conventionally shown as of the hollow steam heated type ordinarily employed for this purpose, and may be intergeared for positive driving in any approved manner. 1

In the passage over the top of the spreader table 2, the feeding of the fabric is facilitated by a transversely extending auxiliary roller 5, which is driven directly from the trunnion of the pressing roll 4, by means of asprocket chain connection 6. Feeding is further facilitated by additional rollers 7 and 8, which are in turn rotated from the shaft of the auxiliary roller 5, through relay belt connections 9, 10 respectively, the transmission system being so designed as to maintain substantially the same surface speed throughout the variou moving parts of the apparatus.

Associated with'the auxiliary roller 5, isa superimposed, gravityjension roller 11, which is journaled for free rotation in the ends of arms 12, 12, fulcrumed to brackets 13, 13, on the table 2. The tension roller 11,

is driven by contact with friction collars 14,, 9

14, on the ends of the roller 5 (see Figs. II

and III) and the tension rolls 5, and 11 are also spaced apart by these friction collars.

The spreader table 2,.is interrupted at one point as at 15, to accommodate a steam box 105 16, within which are "housed perforated steam pipes 17, and 18, one above and the other below the line of travel of the fabric. 1 By this means, the requisite amount of moisture is imparted to the fabric fora well 110 Patented Dec. 27, 1921.

Application filed March 2, 1920. Serial No. 362,842.

known purpose preparatory to final pressing between the rolls 3 and 4.

In the course of its travel through the apparatus, the fabric is drawn over a stretcher frame 20, which is of hoop form and preferably substantially elliptical in contour, (see Fig. IV). This frame operates within the tube, and is disposed transversely to the direction of feed in the interval between the presser rolls 3 and t. and the auxiliary roller 5, as clearly shown in Figs. I and II. This frame is composed of a number of interpivoted segments including end segments 21,

22, and intermediate segments 23, 24. The

' tions of the segments 23, 24, a number of screw holes being provided in the sections 27, 27, for selective cooperation with the bolts 29, for this purpose. By reason of the hoop form of the stretcher frame, a comparatively sharp continuous edge is afforded, which edge is intended to contact evenly with all portions of the inner surfaces of the fabric tube so as to impart uniform stretch thereto. The stretcher frame 20. is supported in the apparatus by having the integral bars 25, 26, of its segments 21, 22, bridged between the pressing roll 4, and the auxiliary roller 5. Thus it will be seen from Fig. II, that said bars have their forward ends engaged within the bight between the pressing rolls 3, 4i, and their other ends, engaged in the interspace between the auxiliary feed roller 5, and the associated gravity tension roller 11, so that vertical displacement of the frame is, by this arrangement, prevented. In order to insure the stretcher against longitudinal displacement under pull of the fabric, it is tied by means of divergent anchorage links 30, hooked to the end of the supporting cylinder 1, previously referred to, as clearly shown in Figs I and-VII. These anchorage links are preferably made of two interhooked sections so as to allow ample freedom for relative self adjustment under pull of the fabric, and also to permit similar freedom for self-centralization of the stretcher frame 20. Attachment of the links 30, to the frame is preferably effected as shown in Fig. VI, the link ends being forked as at 31, and the ad acent ends ofthe bridging bars 25, 26, of the frame 20, correspondingly reduced to fit in the forks. The effective length of the connections 30 can be adjusted to vary the position of the stretcher frame 20 between the presser rolls 3, 4: and the tension rolls 5, 11 by inserting the studs 33 in the free ends of the spring prongs 35 through any one of a series of holes 36 in the'bars25, 26,

i In practical operation, a standardlength of the tubular fabric to be pressed is first I it will be noted, takes place over a substantial linear extent so as to permit an initial automatic equalization of surface tension in the goods. The fabric, thus evenly spread, then passes through the steam box 16, and is moistened to the proper degree preparatory to being drawn over the stretcher frame 20, under guidance of the rollers 5 and 11. By properly adjusting the relative positions of the several constituent segments of the frame, the tension imposed upon the inner surface of the tube may be made uniform and the desired registry of the opposed layers entering between the rolls 3 and 4, thus obtained. After pressing, the fabric may be wound into bolt form in readiness for subsequent cutting to garment lengths in the manner'previously mentioned herein.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: I

1. An apparatus of the character described, comprising presser rolls for pressing a tubular fabric flat; tension rolls between which the'tubular fabric passes on its way to saidpres'ser rolls; and means for spreading apart'the sides of the tube on its way from saidte-nsion rolls to saidi presser rolls.

2. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a pair of pressing rolls; an auxiliary roller cooperating with said pressing rolls in feeding a tubular fabric to be pressed; a' stretcher frame over which the fabric is drawn, said frame being disposed at right angles to the direction of feed in the interval between said pressing rolls and the cooperating auxiliary feed roller, and supported by attached bridging bars having their forward ends engaged within the bight between the pressing rolls, and their other ends resting on said auxiliary roller; and means for preventing displacement of the stretcher under the pull of the fabric.

3. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a pair of pressing rolls;

an auxiliary roller cooperating with said pressing rolls in feeding a tubular fabric to be pressed; a gravity tension roller superimposed upon said auxiliary roller with provision of an interspace afforded by end collars upon said auxiliary roller; a stretcher frame over which the fabric is drawn, said frame being disposed at right angles to the direction of feed in the interval between the pressing rolls. and the cooperative feed roller, and supported by attached bridging bars having their forward ends engaged .rolls by which the fabric is drawn over the top of the spreading table; an auxiliary roller cooperatin with said pressing rolls in feeding the fabric; a stretcher frame over which the fabric is drawnprevious to pressing; said frame being disposed at right angles to the direction of feed in the interval between said pressing rolls and the auxiliary feed roller; and anchorage links extending divergently over the top of the' table from the end of the cylindrical fabric support to the extremities of the stretcher frame, said links serving by virtue of their divergence, to effect agradual spreading of the fabric previous to the final stretching.

5. An apparatus of the character described, comprising means gfor feeding a tubular fabric; and a transverse stretcher adapted to make contact evenly with all portions of the interior surface of the fabric tube, along a comparatively sharp continuous edge only.

6. An apparatus of the character described, comprising means for feeding a tubular fabric; and a transverse stretcher frame of hoop form over which the fabric is drawn comprising a number of interpivoted segments, and capable of being expanded and contracted in different directions for adjustment of the tension thereby induced in different portions of the fabric.

7. An apparatus of the character described, comprising means for feeding a tubular fabric; in combination with a trans versely disposed stretcher frame of elliptical hoop form over which the fabric is drawn, said frame being composed of a pair of opposite end segments and a number of intermediate uniting segments capable of being expanded to permit adaptation of the frame to stretching fabric tubes of different diameters. 8. An apparatus of thecharacter de scribed, comprising means for progressively expanding-a tubular fabric flat; means for spreading apart and stretching the sides of the.tube; and means for pressing the sides of the tube flat together.

9. The method of stretching and pressing a tubular fabric, which consists in progressively expanding'the fabric flat; spreading apart the sides of the tube to permit equalization of tension in the fabric; and pressing the sides of the tube fiat together.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name at Philadelphia, Pennsyl- Vania, this twenty-fifth day of February,

THOMAS CUNNINGHAM.

Witnesses:

JAMES H. BELL, E. L. FULLERTON. 

